The present invention relates to (I) polymers capable of enhancing the (a) gloss and (b) flow and leveling of latex paints and (2) high-gloss latex paints.
Paints can be divided into three basic categories, namely, (1) flat paints having a specular gloss of less than about 15 percent reflectance, (2) semi-gloss paints having a specular gloss of about 35 to about 50 percent reflectance, and (3) high-gloss paints having a specular gloss greater than about 70 percent reflectance based upon light having about a 60.degree. angle of incidence (i). Oil-base paints can easily be formulated into these three categories of paints. However, it is difficult to formulate latex paints having a high specular gloss. The inability to readily formulate high-gloss latex paints is a significant drawback since oil-base paints are being phased out due to environmental restrictions limiting the volatile organic compounds (VOC) content of paints.
In addition, latex paints are a mixture of a multitude of ingredients. Typical ingredients include coalescing aids, thickening aids (e.g., rheology modifiers), dispersing aids, defoamers, biocides, pigments, and binders. Rheology modifiers are employed to enhance latex paint flow and leveling characteristics. Flow and leveling is an indication of the ability of the paint to form a smooth surface devoid of brush marks upon application of the paint to a surface. However, the flow and leveling characteristics of a paint are not always significantly improved even when a rheology modifier is added to the latex paint.